A spy came running; he whispered something to the colonel. Soon a command was given. The Cossacks jumped quickly on their horses and rode away, leaving the half-consumed bonfire behind them. The dry faggots and the grass smouldered a long time. The forest caught fire.[19] “What’s the matter?” asked Elisaveta. Some one whispered quickly: “Do you hear, it’s the Cossacks! I wonder which side they are coming from. It’s hard to tell which way to run.” “They are coming from town,” said some one. “The only thing to do is to go towards Opalikha.” The leaders began to give orders: “Comrades, be calm. Scatter as quickly as possible. Don’t jostle. The road to Dubky is clear.” A number of horses’ heads suddenly appeared from among the trees quiet close to Elisaveta, and their dumb but good eyes looked on incomprehensibly. The crowd of young people began to run, and carried Elisaveta along with them. She was seized by a feeling of stupor. She thought: “What’s the use of running? They’ll overtake us and drive us wherever they will.” But she had not enough strength to pause. They were all running, and she with them. Another detachment of Cossacks appeared in front of them. Cries and wails went up from the crowd, which began to scatter in all directions. The Cossacks came on, as it were, in a broad chain. Many managed to break through, some with blood-stained faces and torn clothes. The others were driven forward from the rear and the sides and gradually became a compact mass. It was evident that the Cossacks were trying to get the crowd into the middle of the glade. Those who had broken through the ring at the very beginning had some hope of escape. There were about a hundred people in the ring. They were driven towards the town, and those who tried to escape were lashed with the _nagaika_. A few shots resounded in the distance. The provocateur fired the first shot--into the air. This aroused the anger of the Cossacks, who began to shoot at those who ran. Elisaveta and Alkina managed to escape the first ring together. But they could hear all around them the cries of the Cossacks. They paused and pressed close to an old oak, not knowing which way to turn. They were joined by Trirodov. “Follow me,” he said to them; “I think I can find a less dangerous place.” “What has become of our invited speaker?” asked Alkina. “Don’t worry about that,” was the impatient reply; “he was the first to be attended to. He’s out of danger now. You’d better go on quickly.” He walked confidently through the bushes and they followed him.